PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
Police are investigating a string of burglaries at a southeast Portland mini mall after thieves broke through several walls and ransacked three businesses.
It happened late Sunday night or early Monday morning at the corner of SE 82nd Avenue and Foster Road.
Nicholas Robitsch, the manager at Comprite Computers, arrived to find his office a mess and several laptop computers missing.
"I started looking around at that point and I saw a 3-foot hole in our wall," said Robitsch.
The hole leads to the Liberty Tax office right next door where the burglars broke a water pipe, leaving a soggy mess on the carpet.
From there, they broke through another wall to a vacant space and then through another wall to a nail salon where they stole a flatscreen tv, nail supplies and facial steamers.
With broken glass everywhere and the hammer used to break through the plaster still lying on her counter, owner Lily Huynh looked at the damage in shock.
She has been in this location for three years and can't believe someone would do this to her business.
"I'm embarrassed for them," she said. "Embarrassed that they have to do this to other people."
The owner of Liberty Tax told FOX 12 that all of his computers are accounted for and no sensitive files are missing.
But 30 to 40 laptops brought in for repairs are missing from Comprite, so Robitsch has to call and warn his customers.
He regrets that their privacy may have been compromised, but he says this kind of break-in is totally unexpected.
"There's not much you can do when you have security gates in the front and back. I mean, you can't protect against someone going through the walls," he said.
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